Snake proof slippers

ABSTRACT

Snake proof slipper or hosiery that is manufactured from woven material that is capable of preventing penetration by the fangs of a snake. The snake proof slipper is worn on the foot of the user and placed within a footwear article to prevent snake bite. Prior art examples are worn externally where the present invention is worn internally and is comfortable, flexible and snake proof.

This application is a utility application claiming priority from U.S.Provisional application Ser. No. 61/937,686, filed Feb. 10, 2014.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Protective clothing for protection from snake bites is not new to theart. However, a piece of protective clothing that is worn internally is.The present invention is a hosiery item that is worn internally withouter foot ware to protect the user from snake bite. U.S. Pat. No.5,987,778 entitled, “Protective Footwear and Lower Leg Covering”, issuedto Stoner on Nov. 23, 1999 teaches an article of protective footwear andlower leg covering protects the shoes and lower trousers or legs of thewearer while using a mower, string trimmer, chain saw, or otherequipment which may discharge objects at high speed. The covering alsoserves to protect the user's shoes and clothing during paintingoperations, and the complete closure from the sole of the shoe upwardalong the lower leg, also serves to protect the wearer from insect bitesand stings. This device is pulled on over footwear such as shoes orboots to protect the user. This footwear does not teach the ability toprotect the user from snake bite. Regardless the article is for externaluse and not internal use as the present invention is. The presentinvention is worn within the users outer foot wear and protects fromsnake bite by being impenetrable to snake bites giving the presentinvention a clear advantage over the prior art.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,057,853 entitled, “Snake Legging”, issued to McLane onNov. 15, 1977 teaches a legging, to be worn by a person for protectionagainst snake bites as well as bites from other objectionable animals;the leggings including a double mesh, close woven stainless steel, andhaving a vertical slit along a rear side so as to allow fitting a legthereinto, the resilient hook and loops fastening and straps, the kneeportion of the legging having a pad for comfort, and the underside ofthe legging being open, and including sidewardly crossing straps forpassing under a shoe or boot, the forward end of the legging having arigid, non-pliable toe cap. Again, this device is an article that isworn externally and from its very description is rigid and non-pliable.The present invention teaches an internally worn hosiery article that iscomfortable and snake proof. Again, the present invention has a greaterutility over this prior art.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,503 entitled, “Snake Protective Leggings”, issued toHightower on Dec. 15, 1992 teaches a protective garment for shielding awearer from snake bites on the lower portion of the leg. The garment isa legging made of woven fabric which will protect against snake biteseven when the snake has fangs longer that the thickness of the material.The legging has two separate side edges extending all along its lengthand includes a strap, fabric fastener in order to provide adjustability,prevent gaps between the side edges, and minimize the risk that thefabric fasteners would become separated. Once again, this prior art isan external article that protects from snake bites. The presentinvention is internally worn and is comfortable. The present inventionteaches a hosiery article that is worn internally and providesprotection from snake bite.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,383 entitled, “Leg Protection System”, issued toHeller on Jun. 18, 2002 teaches a leg protection system that selectivelycovers a person's lower leg and knee for protection againstenvironmental elements. This patent teaches another externally wornprotective garment. The present invention is worn within a shoe or bootproviding protection from snake bite as well as being comfortable. Theother prior art devices are all externally worn. This is a major shortcoming because the external garments are subject to brush and branchescatching and potentially damaging the externally worn garment. Thepresent invention does not suffer the same limitations that this andother prior art devices do, clearly making the present invention ofgreater utility.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,607,365 entitled, “Snake proof Protective Garment”,issued to Watley on Dec. 13, 2013 teaches a protective article ofclothing adapted to protect snake fangs from biting into the leg of awearer. The protective article has a leg portion that comprises aplurality of elongated inserts that are placed in overlapping side byside relation within a plurality of elongated pockets. The protectivearticle of clothing wraps around a leg of an individual to protect theindividual from being bitten by a snake. This prior art device is yetanother example of an externally worn rigid article that is designed toprevent snake bites. The present invention is a soft flexible internallywore hosiery article that prevents snake bites while remainingcomfortable for the wearer.

THE INVENTION

The present invention is a snake bite repellent hosiery for footwear.The hosiery is manufactured from flexible snake bite proof material. Thehosiery has a toe connected to a top. The hosiery has a length in therange of from 17 inches to 24 inches from the toe to the top.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the snake proof slipper.

FIG. 2 shows the snake proof slipper in phantom inserted into a boot.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the snake proof slipper 2. The snake proof slipper 2 has anear end 4 and a distal end 6. The user inserts their foot into the nearend 4. The snake proof slipper 2 is manufactured from a material that iswoven fabric with a high density to prevent the penetration of snakefangs. The foot of the wearer is inserted within the snake proof slipper2 until the wearer's toes reach the distal end 6. The wearer's heelcomes to rest in the heel 8 portion of the snake proof slipper 2. Thehosiery or snake proof slipper 2 is comfortable because it is flexiblewoven fiber unlike the prior art device that are rigid and are wornexternally. The snake proof slipper 2 is like wearing a sock in that itconforms to the users' foot and slides into their foot wear to providesnake bite protection. This embodiment also has an elastic band 12 tosecure the snake proof slipper 2 the wearer. Another embodiment has thesecuring apparatus as a hook and loop fastener 14 such as Velcro seen inFIG. 2.

FIG. 2 shows the snake proof slipper 2 in phantom inserted into a boot10. The snake proof slipper 2 is placed over the user's foot by placingthe foot at the near end 4 opening and sliding the foot past the heel 8and to the distal end 6. The foot is inserted into a boot 10. Thepresent invention has a greater utility over the prior art because it isworn internally and is light weight. The prior art devices areexternally worn and are quite bulky. Those externally worn prior artdevices that are manufactured from woven material will snag and start tobreak down. The terrain where these devices are used are typicallybrushy and full of ground debris. That is where the snakes live and arehidden. When entering the habitat of snakes protection is necessary toprevent life threatening snake bites.

For the purpose of this application Denier is a unit of linear massdensity of fibers. There are other suitable materials that the snakeproof slipper can be manufactured from including but not limited to highstrength fibers, Kevlar, carbon fiber, woven felt, pressed felt, needledfelt or any composite thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. Snake bite repellent hosiery for footwear, saidhosiery manufactured from flexible snake bite proof material, saidhosiery having a toe connected to a top, said hosiery having a length inthe range of from 17 inches to 24 inches from said toe to said top.
 2. ASnake bite repellent hosiery for footwear as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe hosiery is manufactured from high strength fiber.
 3. A Snake biterepellent hosiery for footwear as claimed in claim 1, wherein thehosiery is manufactured from Kevlar.
 4. A Snake bite repellent hosieryfor footwear as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hosiery is manufacturedfrom carbon fiber.
 5. A Snake bite repellent hosiery for footwear asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the hosiery is manufactured from a clothwith a 1000 denier.
 6. A Snake bite repellent hosiery for footwear asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the hosiery is manufactured from woven felt.7. A Snake bite repellent hosiery for footwear as claimed in claim 1,wherein the hosiery is manufactured from pressed felt.
 8. A Snake biterepellent hosiery for footwear as claimed in claim 1, wherein thehosiery is manufactured from needled felt.
 9. A Snake bite repellenthosiery for footwear as claimed in claim 1, where the said top of saidhosiery has elastic.
 10. A Snake bite repellent hosiery for footwear asclaimed in claim 1, where the said top of said hosiery has hook and loopfastener.